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I N T E R V I EW
Wenzel Prochazka
Senior Product Manager
Battery Systems
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focus: Can you tell me about the
pioneering spirit at AVL in the
field of battery development?
Prochazka: AVL has driven many
topics in recent years. Think of the
first 800 V electric batteries, which
we realized, or batteries for efficient
N O . 1 2 0 2 1 – S P E C I A L
use of assembly space, some
of which are just 80 millimeters
high. We maintain this pioneering
spirit, in order to be able to support
our customers early in the decisionmaking
process.
focus: What is the most challenging
issue when it comes to innovative
battery technology today?
Prochazka: We are currently challenging
the ASSB world to solve
the “breathing” problem together.
It is also about optimizing production
processes and intelligent cell-
2body and module2chassis integration
with regard to the unavoidable
swelling and breathing of batteries.
all types of battery testbeds are no longer sufficient. For this reason, our
testbeds can easily be equipped with different sensors for all eventualities.
Our approach is to seamlessly integrate innovations like ASSB technology
with all its implications in our AVL system world, and thus to guarantee
future-proof battery development and testing for our customers.
CELL2BODY OR MODULE2CHASSIS – WHERE NEXT?
What is the ideal architecture and integration of a battery system? What
are the effects on range, charging time and driving properties? The answer
to these and similar questions was one word: efficiency! The search
for efficiency is one of the greatest sources of motivation for innovations
in the automotive industry. In the field of battery development, efficiency
primarily means a higher specific energy and power density with high RMS
load capability.
There are several ways to achieve this. Optimize the ratio between cell volume
and battery pack volume, reduce components, and optimize the SoX
algorithms to increase usable energy. At AVL, we use a mix of technologies
to achieve these targets under industrial large-scale conditions. Depending
on the specific requirement, these include cell2body and module2chassis
implementations, which we always flank with corresponding service and
recycling concepts.
IMMERSION COOLING FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE
In immersion cooling, the lithium-ion cells are immersed in a dielectric liquid,
which directly removes heat from the cell, busbars and contacts. The
optimized cooling performance allows high charge and discharge rates, as
are primarily required for rapid-charging and high-performance vehicles.
To launch such new technologies, you need an innovation-oriented process
with early validation of key topics. This is precisely what we deliver
at AVL. With our extensive portfolio of holistic development solutions,
we designed the first SOP for a battery with immersion cooling in 2020.
Virtual Analysis of
cell swelling behavior
allows the optimized
mechanical layout
for optimizing cell
lifetime and module
durability